Stunning illustrations provide a near-wordless graphic exploration highlighting the career of Leon Bix Beiderbecke, one of the most innovative jazz soloists of the 1920s next to the legendary Louis Armstrong. While composing and recording some of the landmark music in the early years of the genre, Bix struggled with personal demons, facing the disapproval of his conservative parents and an increasing dependence on alcohol. Presented in predominantly silent panels to reflect his rebellious, outsider quality and inability to communicate in anything other than his own musical terms, this is the story of a music star's rapid rise and tragic fall - a metaphor for the glories and risks inherent in the creative life. (Adapted from book jacket.)